My boyfriend and I are looking to buy our first home and it is an old victorian end-terrace cottage (built 1890) and the house report has come back with a few areas which need review. We are just looking for some advice on what to do and whether this is an urgent job before we get a contractor out. Would appreciate any advice please!
This is in relation to the small kitchen extension built approx 30+ years ago. Aswell as a few areas on the main roof:
The report says:
"The extension roof has a very shallow pitch which may not be adequate for the slate covering. This could be a significant construction/design fault. Several slates on the main roof are damaged, slipping and held in position with metal straps (tingles). The bitumen felt roof lining appears to have rotted at the roof edges where visible, noticeably to the front eaves area to the main roof. The verge fillets on the main and extension roofs have deteriorated in places."
"Whilst expensive and comprehensive re-covering is not yet justified, the roof will need more maintenance than normal which could be costly. Some rain penetration may occur in severe weather conditions. The low pitch of the roof will increase significantly the risk of rain penetration. Until the roof is recovered in a more suitable covering for its pitch, damp may well penetrate internally causing damage and disrepair. Your legal adviser should make further enquiries about this roof as to whether it has been built in accordance with good practice.
The felt lining under the roof covering can become brittle with age, particularly when exposed to sunlight, rainwater and wind action. Deterioration often occurs at the bottom of the roof and at the edges where the lining is more exposed. Coverings should be kept in good condition at all times. The felt should be repaired/replaced as soon as any deterioration is seen."
Does this sound urgent or is it something that could be considered in the near future?
Thanks in advance, Jess
Are you a tradesperson and able to answer this question?
Again it’s not urgent, some slates need taking up across the bottom and re felting and some need replacing and the verge re pointing... not a massive job...
Also it may of been built without building regulations as he is trying to suggest, don’t worry about this because it was built over 30 years ago and is not enforceable By building control.... hope this helps
Answered24 June 2020
3
Anonymous user
Save yourself the hassle and don’t buy the house, if the pitch is too low on the extension roof your spend a small fortune turning it into a flat roof or increasing the pitch high or your be reroofing every 5/10 years if you keep the same pitch.
I’d get a roof round to tell you exactly what the pitch is and then work out if there a tile on the market that goes that low lowest being 12.5 redland regent tiles but personally in my professional opinion 15 degrees is the lowest you wanna go to with a pitch roof.
Essentially with the extension roof in it current state your be relying on the felt under the slates to keep the elements out not a good idea.
Everything else sounds like it isn’t urgent, I’d still get a competent roofer out to look at the roof and give you his option though.
Regards
Frankie
BT Roofing Services
you have two main issues here & personally I WOULD HAVE AN INDEPENDENT ROOFER LOOK AT THEM BEFORE DOING ANYTHING,
there are lots of slates held in place with tingles, this tells me the roof has a very good chance of nail fatigue where the nails have rusted and no longer hold your slates in place,
your low pitched roof done with the wrong material for the age of the build it will have slaters felt with a life expectancy of 20-25 yrs so there is a good chance it is degrading so there is a good chance of it creating dampness.
both issues are expensive to rectify, i would be a little concerned.
good luck Alex
Hi firstly report sounds quite damning and I would urge caution, main roof slates I presume are slipping due to steel nails rusting due to age ideally copper nails would be used but due to age of roof probably not. You don’t know how porous old slates are and if you was to re’roof how many you could save to reuse or would it be case of all new slates lastly I would be interested to know how bad battening is due to moisture between old bitumen felt and slates. Now the extension you say pitch is to low you should be at minimum 20 degrees with adequate head lap I would if possible try to arrange for a decent reputable roofer to assess roofing and give report including cost of work I personally have been to people who have had surveys done and it was not worth paper it was written on a roofer will not be afraid to climb a ladder and would also have practical knowledge I hope this helps you before your purchase
